A single father had just lost his job. All day, he wandered the streets, clinging to the hope that he might find work. But as the sun set, he returned home empty-handed.
Defeated and exhausted, he stepped into a small tavern, spent his very last coin, and finally stumbled back to his modest home.
That evening, he discovered that his son’s grades had slipped. He didn’t say a word. Instead, he shot the boy a harsh glare before collapsing into bed without another thought.
The next morning, out of habit, he opened his diary and wrote:
March 7, Tuesday.
This is the worst day ever. Lost my job, out of money, no work to be found, and my son is a disappointment. A day of utter discouragement.
After his son left for school, he happened to notice the boy’s diary lying open on the table. Curious, he began to read:
March 6, Monday.
Today, on my way to school, I helped a blind man cross the street. I was so happy. My grades weren’t good this time. I told Dad, and he didn’t scold me. He looked at me with such deep affection. I felt so encouraged. I’m determined to study hard so I won’t let him down.
Affection? the father thought, bewildered. I was glaring at him in frustration. How could he have seen that as love?
He turned another page:
March 5, Sunday.
The old grandpa next door is playing the violin better and better. He’s so old but still practices so diligently. I really want to learn from him.
His heart sank as he flipped to his own entry from that same day:
March 5, Sunday.
That annoying old man next door is playing that wretched violin again. On my only day off, he won’t even let me sleep in peace. So hateful—I wish I could smash that stupid instrument.
In that moment, the father felt the weight of shame press him down onto the bed. He was in his fifties, yet his spirit had been broken by hardship—his mindset darker and more defeated than that of his young child.
He realized, with painful clarity, that he had been looking at life through a lens clouded by bitterness. And that lens had distorted everything.
Deeply remorseful, he resolved to learn from his son—to face every trial with acceptance and gratitude instead of resentment. He knew he could no longer wear the mask of anger while searching for work. No matter how difficult life became, he would choose a sunnier disposition.
And when your mindset changes, everything changes.
The very next day, he found a suitable job. He began to meet life’s challenges with a heart full of gratitude.
Life is like a mirror: when you smile at it, it smiles back. When you cry, it weeps with you.
The human heart is also a mirror, reflecting the world within us. It reveals whether we carry kindness or bitterness, whether we live in light or in darkness.
With a single thought, we can create heaven or hell. Everything depends on whether we imprison or liberate our own hearts.
In the end, we are the creators of our own destiny.
Link: https://peacelilysite.com/2025/06/27/the-mirror-of-the-heart-a-lesson-from-a-single-father/
Peace LiLy 